ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 High of 88 Low of 76 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 MR. PREMIER: ‘WE’RE ALL IN YOUR CORNER’ BUSINESS | PAGE 9 BA DEBACLE PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON AIRLINES’ OLD IT SYSTEMS Independent legislators look to join new ‘unity’ government Bodden Town to get minister, Bryan offers to join BRENT FULLER AND JEWEL LEVY bfuller@pinnaclemedialtd.com; jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands new coalition gov- ernment will have at least 13 members, pos- sibly as many as 15, by the time it is sworn in Wednesday morning. All seven elected Progressives party mem- bers will join the government bench and likely will make up the majority of ministerial po- sitions, although those posts were still under discussion as of Tuesday afternoon. Three independent members, including Dwayne “John John” Seymour from Bodden Town East, will join the government’s ranks. Mr. Seymour became the coalition’s newest member Monday night after holding a meeting in his home district where the vast majority of those who attended urged him to take the position. Hundreds of people came to the hastily called meeting at the James M. Bodden Civic Centre Monday night, when Mr. Seymour asked everyone in attendance to stand. “OK, those of you who do not accept me taking up a minister’s post with the new government, please sit,” he said. Everyone in the room remained standing. Mr. Seymour thanked his supporters and told them he believed Bodden Town needed a voice in Cabinet. He said the Progressives- led coalition had already been formed and that the government would continue with or without him, so he believed it was best to take the position offered. In addition to Mr. Seymour, indepen- dents Tara Rivers, from West Bay South, and Austin Harris, from Prospect, have also joined the coalition. A fourth potential member, George Town Central’s Kenneth Bryan, said he had written to the Progressives Tuesday asking to join the government. If he received a positive response, Mr. Bryan said, he would confer with constitu- ents Tuesday evening and, if they approved, he would be willing to join. Mr. Bryan’s decision to write to the Progressives was surprising NORIEGA, ONETIME ALLY OF U.S., SPENT HIS FINAL DECADES IN JAIL PANAMA CITY (AP) – Manuel Noriega had be- come a problem. At least that was the way it looked from Washington. For years, the Panamanian military man had been a close and sometimes clandestine ally of U.S. governments as he rose to power in a country defined by a U.S. strategic asset, the Panama Canal, and in a region where America was fighting a series of proxy wars against Soviet allies. But things were going sour. The populist strongman who had long cooperated with the CIA was growing increasingly indepen- dent, more embarrassingly thuggish. Officials in Washington – and grand juries in Florida – decided he was in cahoots with the drug traf- fickers he once helped fight. So in December 1989, President George H.W. Bush sent American troops into Panama City to arrest Noriega – the last of several times that U.S. military forces have directly toppled a government in the Americas. After a few days of fighting, the Central American dictator fled to asylum at the Vat- ican Embassy on Christmas Eve, setting off a bizarre siege in which U.S. troops bombarded the mission with thunderous rock and rap music. Ten days later, he finally surrendered and was whisked to Miami. Noriega was never again a free man. He was imprisoned first in Florida, then in Taxi drivers join forces to give industry a voice JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Taxi drivers are promoting an Uber-style smartphone app as the solution to confusion and controversy over fares. Amid an ongoing debate about the best way to set and regulate taxi rates, drivers have formed an association to represent their interests. The Cayman Drivers Association, in- cluding representatives from Holiday Taxis, Charlie’s Super Cabs and Tours and Ace Cayman Nice Taxi & Tour Service, is in the process of registering as an association. One of its first goals is to act as a consultative body for the industry. Government has hired Deloitte to review taxi rates in the Cayman Islands and consider options, including the use of meters in cabs. The review comes amid concerns from the tourism industry that visitors have been left feeling “ripped off.” Members of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association spoke out about what they see as unfair and inconsistent pricing, at a meeting in December. Chris Hadome, whose father runs Hol- iday Taxis, is helping to establish the new association, which he says will be a PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Drivers from Ace taxis, Holiday Taxis and Charlie’s Super Cabs have united to form an industry association. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 REGIONAL NEWS WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Daily Matinees Every Day $8.00 Seniors, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 BAYWATCH (R) 12:55 I 3:40 I 7:20 I 10:00 EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING (PG13) 12:30 I 2:50 I 5:10 I 7:40 I 10:15 ALIEN: COVENANT (R) 12:55 I 4:00 VIP I 6:45 I 9:50 VIP GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 3D (PG13) 12:30 2D I 3:30 I 6:30 2D I 9:45 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES 3D (PG13) 1:00 2D VIP I 3:40 I 7:00 2D VIP 9:35 2D DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL (PG) 12:35 I 2:50 I 5:05 I 6:25 I 8:40 - WEDNESDAY - SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. *Additional charges will apply per 3D ticket requested. 640-FILM (640-3456) Miami mega-mall would be biggest in US MIAMI (AP) – Call it re- tail-tainment. Just do not call American Dream Miami a mall. Developers are proposing a massive 6 million-square- foot project on the edge of the Everglades in bustling South Florida that would dwarf any other shopping mecca in North America, including Minnesota’s Mall of America. Miami-Dade County of- ficials could vote this fall to approve it, despite some criticism that it will worsen the region’s already choking traffic problem and might produce mostly low-paying jobs. In general, malls across the U.S. have been in a slow decline as shoppers flock to the Internet. Don Ghermezian, presi- dent of developer Triple Five Worldwide Group of Ed- monton, Canada – which also built Mall of America – said this is not your father’s shopping mall. In addition to millions of square feet of retail, the project would in- clude an indoor ski slope, a water park, a submarine ride attraction, a skating rink, 2,000 hotel rooms, theaters, a performing arts center and places to eat and drink. The idea, Ghermezian said at a recent public hearing, is to give millions of residents and tourists in the Miami area a family friendly al- ternative to Orlando attrac- tions such as Disney World and Universal. “We are not mall devel- opers. That’s not what we’re trying to build,” he said. “A lot of it is ‘retail-tainment.’ What we’re trying to create is an economic engine.” Miami has trendy South Beach and miles of sunny beaches, the vibrant Wyn- wood arts district and the Ev- erglades for nature lovers but has never had a major attrac- tion like other Florida cities. There’s the Seaquarium with its 50-year-old orca, Lolita, and places such as Jungle Island, the zoo and Monkey Jungle. Yet no large theme parks have ever located here. Triple Five predicts Amer- ican Dream would draw 300,000 visitors a day and create about 14,500 perma- nent jobs. Politicians are lining up in support. “World-class cities have world-class facilities,” said Dennis Moss, a Miami-Dade County commissioner. “All of the great things that we have going in this commu- nity, a huge disadvantage is we don’t have a lot of family entertainment and amuse- ment activities. This is a game-changer.” Local resident Stuart Bloomberg said at the recent hearing that Miami needs something just like that. “I am tired of hearing ev- erybody say there’s nothing south of I-4,” Bloomberg said of the interstate the runs through Orlando. “It’s about time Miami-Dade par- ticipated. Let’s not blow it this time.” South Florida’s existing malls, including the region’s top tourist attraction Saw- grass Mills, are watching ner- vously. They say they are not opposed to American Dream but would not favor any public tax dollars going to subsidize it. So far, no public money is financing the project. “We just want them to meet the rules like everybody else has to meet,” said Alex Heckler, attorney for a group of existing malls. Many malls around the country are in decline. Faith Hope Consolo, chair of re- tail, marketing and sales at Douglas Elliman Real Es- tate in New York, said the retail world is “moving to- ward entertainment and cre- ating experiences.” She said Triple Five’s plan in Miami has an excellent chance of succeeding. “What’s on the way out are the tired strip malls that haven’t been updated in 30 years,” Consolo said. “What’s in are beautiful shopping complexes, entertainment destinations. What’s going to work in the future is the focus on experience, one-of-a-kind places where you want to go.” Still, not everyone is con- vinced American Dream is a good idea. It would be built at the confluence of two major high- ways – Interstate 75 and Florida’s Turnpike – that al- ready are frequently choked with traffic. State planning officials have raised concerns about a massive increase in traffic without the road ca- pacity to handle it, but have not suggested scrapping American Dream. There are also plans by a separate developer, The Graham Companies, to build a 339-acre project adjacent to American Dream that would include office space, retail and 2,000 apartments. Trans- lation: more cars. Estimates say the projects would create 70,000 new car trips per day. Doug Travis Williams, who lives in South Miami, said he often sits in traffic two or three hours a day. “We don’t have the in- frastructure in place to do something like this. We can’t even get to where we need to get now,” he said. BRAZIL’S TEMER INTENDS TO REMAIN ON THE JOB SAO PAULO (AP) – Embat- tled Brazilian President Michel Temer insisted on Tuesday that he’ll stay on the job until his term ends in December 2018 despite growing calls for his resig- nation. He also pledged to push ahead with austerity measures meant to cure the country’s economy. Temer has been under increasing fire since coun- try’s top prosecutor opened investigations into him for alleged obstruction of jus- tice and passive corruption two weeks ago. The president denies any wrongdoing and accuses a business mogul of con- spiring against him. He was defiant as he addressed a generally friendly audience of business leaders at the Brazil Investment Forum. “Today we are on the right track. We put the country back on track,” he said, saying he will leave “the house in order” for the next president. Recent polls show Te- mer’s popularity in single digits and eight of his min- isters are under inves- tigation for alleged cor- ruption. Recent outbursts of street protests have prompted some parties to leave the president’s coali- tion in Congress. Brazil’s top electoral court is scheduled to begin deliberations next week on whether he should be removed for illegal fi- nancing of his 2014 re- election campaign as vice president. Former Presi- dent Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached and ousted last year, could also lose her political rights in the same trial. Goldman Sachs under fire for buying Venezuela ‘hunger bonds’ CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela opposition leaders are decrying Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s purchase of bonds from the government of President Nicolas Maduro. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the bank has bought $2.8 bil- lion in bonds from the state- run oil company PDVSA at a steeply discounted price. Opposition leaders im- mediately accused the bank of getting in bed with a deeply unpopular admin- istration that has been the target of two months of near- daily protests. The president of the oppo- sition-led Congress accused the bank of propping up a dictatorship. Julio Borges said the Goldman Sachs pur- chase violated the bank’s own code of conduct. In a statement, the bank acknowledged it purchased the bonds, but said they were purchased through the secondary market and not directly from the Venezu- elan government. The bank did not say in its statement how much it paid for the bonds, however the Journal, citing unnamed sources, said the bank paid $865 million for the $2.8 billion in bonds, roughly 31 cents on the dollar. “We are invested in PDVSA bonds because, like many in the asset manage- ment industry, we believe the situation in the country must improve over time,” the bank said. The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that the bank has bought $2.8 billion in bonds from the state-run oil company PDVSA at a steeply discounted price. Temer has been under increasing fire since country’s top prosecutor opened investigations into him for alleged obstruction of justice and passive corruption two weeks ago. In addition to millions of square feet of retail, the project would include an indoor ski slope, a water park, a submarine ride attraction, a skating rink, 2,000 hotel rooms, theaters, a performing arts center and places to eat and drink. This is the site where where developers are proposing American Dream Miami, a massive 200-acre project on the edge of the Everglades in bustling South Florida that would dwarf any other shopping mecca in North America. - PHOTO: AP Brazil’s President Michel Temer attends the Brazil Investment Forum 2017 in Sao Paulo on Tuesday. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 © 2017 DCB Holding Ltd. and its affiliates. ww.deloitte.com/ky Deloitte Restructuring Services New professional certification The partners at Deloitte are proud to congratulate our colleague Mike Green on successfully passing his Joint Insolvency Examination Board (JIEB) exams. Mike Green, Senior Manager, Restructuring Services Mike is a Qualified Insolvency Practitioner (JIEB) and Chartered Accountant (ACA), with over nine years’ experience providing restructuring advice and formal insolvency services in both the Cayman Islands and the UK. He specialises in cross-border restructuring engagements as well as official, provisional, and voluntary liquidations in the Cayman Islands. Recent experience includes the restructuring and liquidation of a Cayman Islands holding company whose international group structure provided services to the offshore oil drilling industry, conducting an analysis into a multi-billion dollar investment in the Caribbean region, as well as the liquidations of a number of entities within Chinese group structures. Mike has significant experience realising illiquid asset positions and has conducted complex investigations and managed litigation in a number of jurisdictions. Mike is a member of the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accounts (CIIPA) and the Restructuring and Insolvency Specialists Association (RISA), and also sits on the Legal and Regulatory Committee of RISA. Mike’s recent accomplishment adds to the many professional qualifications held by our team of Restructuring Services specialists within our Cayman Island’s Financial Advisory practice. Our Restructuring Services team includes qualified insolvency practitioners, chartered accountants, tax and compliance specialists, experts in valuation, data forensics and analytics. Operating with a strong team locally, we are also able to leverage the deep industry experience and geographical coverage of the Deloitte global network. We have acted as liquidators to a number of high-profile financial institutions and numerous investment funds, and have a strong track record of cost-effectively managing restructuring, insolvency and investigative assignments across multiple jurisdictions. We act for investors, lenders, investment managers, regulators and service providers in both solvent and insolvent restructurings and liquidations. Our team has significant experience realising illiquid assets and resolving complex financial disputes in a cost-effective manner. Established in the Cayman Islands since 1973, our local Deloitte practice draws from the resources of 14 Partners and over 150 staff members. We are also able to leverage the deep intellectual capital of more than 245,000 professionals within the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu member firms and their affiliates worldwide. Access to this broad base of knowledge enables our professionals to address a broad range of issues involving people, processes, and technology. Our services are scalable and can be tailored to your circumstances and specific needs. Stu Sybersma (left), Mike Green (center) and Mike Penner (right). Meet our Restructuring Services team Front: Chris Yeramian (Assistant Manager), Tim Derksen (Partner), Lillieth McLaughlin (Senior Administrator), Yvonne Lorimer (Senior Manager), Elaine Willis (Senior Administrator), Mike Green. Back: Mike Penner (Partner), Marcin Czarnocki (Senior Manager), Stu Sybersma (Managing Partner), Grant Hiley (Senior Manager), Tristan Relly (Senior Manager), Alexandra Bartlett (Assistant Manager).The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Mr. Premier: ‘We’re all in your corner’ Today, Alden McLaughlin is to be sworn in for his second term as premier of the Cayman Islands. Congratu- lations are in order. They say that the hardest thing to do in sports is to “repeat” a championship in consecutive years, and simi- larly, in novel-writing, to follow up on a first best-seller with a second. Premier McLaughlin has now achieved that feat politi- cally, and through the most improbable of scenarios, by forging an alliance with his chief adversary, McKeeva Bush, who will become Speaker of the House. Before the May 24 election, if someone had suggested that in a week’s time Premier McLaughlin’s Progres- sives would form a coalition government with Mr. Bush’s Cayman Democratic party, we would have deemed it as unlikely as Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali opening up a piano bar together, or Irish writer James Joyce collabo- rating on a screenplay with his French rival Marcel Proust. However, as Messrs. Joyce and Proust independently explore in their writings, people cannot be “pre-judged” according to stereotypes, their perceived personalities or even their own past behavior. Human beings contain entire libraries of music within themselves, and depending on the circumstances can play certain notes and chords that they had never sounded before. Put another way, people have greater depth and range than you might think. Apart from the inclusion of Mr. Bush and a handful of CDP and independent candidates, Premier McLaughlin’s new government looks superficially similar to his previous team. Moses Kirkconnell returns as deputy premier, in addition to Progressives veterans Juliana O’Connor-Con- nolly, Roy McTaggart and Joey Hew, as well as indepen- dent Tara Rivers. In all, 19 MLAs are being sworn in today; more than two-thirds are incumbents. Out of the 16 incumbents who ran for re-election this year, 13 won their campaigns, a “retention rate” of more than 80 percent. However, that statistic should not be misinterpreted as evidence of “voter contentment.” Mr. McLaughlin should be acutely aware that the three incumbents who were defeated at the polls were not just any incumbents – they were key leaders in his previous government: Finance and Economic Development Minister Marco Archer; Financial Services, Commerce and Environment Minister Wayne Panton; and Community Affairs, Youth and Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden (all now “former” ministers and MLAs). Factor in the retirement of former Planning, Agricul- ture, Housing and Infrastructure Minister Kurt Tibbetts, and only three of the seven members of the Progres- sives-led Cabinet, including Premier McLaughlin, are returning to government. After today’s official “pomp and ceremony” conclude, we would hope that Premier McLaughlin would consider taking a “political pause” before immediately diving back into his duties at the helm of Cayman’s government. It is a grueling and stressful job by any measure, even in “ordinary times” but even more so in the aftermath of a hard-fought campaign and the recent challenge of forming a government. The Cayman people want – or should want – their leaders to be rested, reflective and contemplative as they assess or reassess their goals and aspirations for the country over the next four years. Despite the fact that the demands on his time and energy will now be greater than ever, we would encourage the premier to take time to listen to and counsel with people from all of Cayman’s disparate corners – his friends, former foes, current members of the opposition, impartial observers (and perhaps even the media!). We will remind Premier McLaughlin of the lyrics of a tune he may be familiar with (since we know he is a Country and Western fan). It was recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, collectively known as The Highwaymen: The life boat we had was fragile and frail By the time we set sail life’s half over Water’s the view, drown out the truth He’s got to have proof that he’s grown There is no map to chart A voyage of the heart The love is a journey you make on your own And if you do not take the chance The angels will not dance With an old man of stone And we’re all in your corner tonight as friends Watching you stumble the path where we’ve been Hope your eyes open and you see the light We’re all in your corner tonight. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Time to replace OMOV Your recent editorials crit- icising one man one vote and advocating a change to is- landwide elections are in my view to be commended. To di- vide such a small electorate into historical districts is bound to throw up anomalies and result in some good can- didates with island-wide sup- port losing out by thin mar- gins in some districts. Unless the current system is altered, this will happen again and the Cayman Islands will be the ultimate loser. Small constituencies fo- cussed on historical districts also serve to perpetuate re- gional competition and divi- sions in a small community which should be avoided. What passes for democracy in the U.K. or the U.S. is ir- relevant to what is best for the Cayman Islands and we should seek to put in place a democratic system to reflect our circumstances which re- sults in good and stable gov- ernment for everyone at na- tional and district level. I would suggest two mat- ters for consideration: Firstly national islandwide elections with one islandwide constitu- ency be held every four years. Each registered voter can cast up to 10 votes for any candi- date standing for election. But only one per candidate. You do not need to use all 10 votes, of course. But what this should ensure is that the 19 candi- dates with the widest appeal islandwide get elected. The persons elected are likely to get elected based on merit and experience rather than only on popularity in their home dis- trict, although this factor will still play an important role. This will mean 10 times as many votes could be cast by the electorate but the extra time counting these votes will be outweighed by the benefits. If this is deemed too com- plicated, then give each elector one vote to cast for any candi- date islandwide. This would have the same effect, but I suggest on balance the more votes cast, the more likely a trend will be seen through the votes cast in favor of the 19 candidates with the widest appeal. If the Sister Islands need two representatives sep- arate from Grand Cayman, let them vote as they do currently and increase representation to 21 over all three islands. Secondly, every two years, district elections should be held to appoint people resi- dent in a district to district councils. These councils can elect a leader with a specific mandate to raise matters with central government and a cen- tral government portfolio can be created to make this an ef- fective link between central government and local com- munities similar to a Min- ister for Local Government in the U.K. This will ensure dis- trict issues are taken into ac- count by central government, but one district will not be able to have a de facto veto on an issue of islandwide impor- tance as some elected repre- sentatives in the central gov- ernment will not be entirely dependent for re-election on the voters in that district. Democracy is not a one- size-fits-all concept. I would hope your editorials will en- courage a thoughtful debate on this important issue so a better democratic system can be found to fit the needs of the Cayman Islands. Allan Turner Future of Turtle Centre is conservation As a new day begins with a new/renewed Cayman Is- lands Government, it’s time for a fresh start at the Cayman Turtle Centre. After years of concerns re- garding the animal welfare and conservation practices at this contentious facility, a new/renewed government has the opportunity to end the controversy once and for all. Our concerns – backed by videos, photographs and freedom of information re- quests – show that behind the scenes, turtles are being raised and kept in shallow overcrowded tanks, resulting in stress, disease, abnormal behaviors such as aggression and even cannibalism. Tourists worldwide are in- creasingly refusing to engage in activities that are cruel to animals. This is reflected in TripAdvisor’s latest move to stop selling tickets to the center and Carnival cruise lines are currently being pe- titioned to follow suit with nearly 100,000 people signing their support. The rest cannot be far behind. Instead of propping up a failing business with govern- ment money, the new/renewed Cayman Islands government can show true leadership with a fresh start and help turn the center into a rehabilitation fa- cility which puts animal wel- fare first, is more sustainable, still employs local people and taps into green tourism. Former farms such as Ké- lonia on Reunion Island have made a gradual and successful move from a commercial farm into a much needed rehabili- tation and release facility for sick and injured turtles. This proves there is hope for turtles and a different way of doing things. Neil D’Cruze, Senior Wildlife Advisor at World Animal Protection5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 *Applies to KYD lending only. Limited time offer. Conditions Apply. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. 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The assault resulted in a mark behind the boy’s right ear; the mark was variously described as a scratch, a cut that did not break the skin, a bruise or an abrasion. Se- nior Crown counsel Candia James submitted a photo- graph to the court when she provided the background on the offense. Defense attorney Dennis Brady applied to have no conviction recorded, bringing testimonials about the teach- er’s good work from other teachers, her vice principal and a letter to the teacher from the boy himself. The Cayman Com- pass is not identifying the teacher as no conviction was recorded. The incident occurred in a government primary school in April 2016. The boy’s mother reported that he had come home from school with a cut behind his right ear. He told her he had been talking in class and the teacher pulled his ear. He was photographed and exam- ined by a doctor. School authorities were notified and the teacher was asked for her account. She said the principal was making an announcement over the public address system and she told the class to be quiet so everyone could hear. She then told them to hold onto their ears. Everyone did as instructed except the one boy. She then asked him to show her his ears but he did not. She held onto his ears and asked if he knew they were for listening. The scratch, which appar- ently was caused by her fin- gernail, was not intentional, Ms. James concluded. Injury unintentional The magistrate accepted that holding onto the boy’s ear was intentional, but the scratch was not. Earlier he referred to a teachers hand- book, a code of conduct for students and a home-school agreement regarding dis- ciplinary measures. “There is no suggestion in any of them that physical force by a teacher is appropriate,” he noted. “There are options for discipline but they do not in- clude physical force.” Mr. Brady said the de- fendant had a reputation for helping students and other teachers. “She was given a tough bunch to deal with and she raised their standard of learning,” he told the court. The attorney showed a drawing the boy had made in the front of his book. Two fig- ures are sitting at a table and one appears to be the teacher. Above them is a heart. The boy also wrote a letter to the teacher. Mr. Brady sug- gested it should be inter- preted in the way a boy of 7 would use words. It read: “Dear Miss ___. I like you. You are sexy and hot. I will give you a present. You are nice. Love, (Boy’s name).” Mr. Brady continued, “We are not seeking to minimize the concerns of a parent who sees a child come home from school with a bruise he did not leave with. This was not the result she [the teacher] intended …. Her love for children would not allow her to countenance pulling a young man’s ear to cause pain.” He confirmed that the teacher was initially sus- pended with pay and later dismissed. He said the au- thorities were now thinking they should have waited for the court’s disposition of the case. He suggested there was a plan to revisit the matter and place the teacher at another school. The magistrate asked the Crown’s opinion on not re- cording a conviction. Ms. James said she was neutral, but if the court was minded to do so, she was not opposed. Times have changed The magistrate com- mented, “In the past it was absolutely acceptable to use force or hit children. Corporal punishment was the norm. But times have changed. In some circumstances, it can be criminal behavior.” Nowadays it is a core principle that discipline is to be administered in a way that fosters students’ emo- tional and intellectual devel- opment, he summarized. “To be a teacher in the modern age must be exceptionally difficult,” he said. It takes exceptional in- dividuals to maintain disci- pline without use of force, he added, and the teachers who do so deserve praise. Students sometimes re- fuse to follow instructions, they answer back and even swear at a teacher, the mag- istrate commented. The teacher is expected to deal with the situation tactfully, with tools such as detention or isolation. The only reason the mag- istrate could think of for laying hands on a student would be if students were fighting and physical inter- vention was required before someone got hurt. Unintended results The case before him dem- onstrated the danger of using force, given its unintended result. Obviously, it was not a prolonged or planned inci- dent, he said. The defendant had already been prosecuted and suffered the embarrass- ment of appearing in court. She had lost her job and her future was uncertain. He concluded that she did not need further pun- ishment and he discharged her absolutely. A charge of cruelty to a child was withdrawn by the Crown. “In the past it was absolutely acceptable to use force or hit children. Corporal punishment was the norm. But times have changed.” VALDIS FOLDATS, magistrateDISTRICT DAYS 6 District Days Sister Islands WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Brac students win in steel pan competition Layman E. Scott Sr. musicians win senior division For the first time in music teacher Kasandra Scott-Sala- zar’s seven-year career, her students at Cayman Brac’s high school scored a first place position in the annual Amin Mohammed Memorial Steel Band Competition. Layman E. Scott Sr. High School teacher Ms. Scott- Salazar said the school’s steel pan band won first place in the senior division. The competition took place at the Family Life Centre in George Town, Grand Cayman, on Thursday, May 18. “I was really proud,” Ms. Scott-Salazar said. “In seven years I have been working as a music teacher, this is the first group to go down to the competition and finish first.” She said the 14 band members, composed of stu- dents Year 7 and above, learned how to play their songs in less than a month. “The style of playing on Grand Cayman is different from what we play on the Brac, but we weren’t in- timidated. They were the only group that moved and danced while they played, and they looked liked they re- ally enjoyed what they were doing,” she said. “Music helps kids’ brain[s] actually, which helps them to be more successful in other subjects. They’re able to do better in math and sci- ence because their brain is functioning at a higher level,” she added. Ms. Scott-Salazar said the school plans to enter the open division next year. 50 years: Skeleton unearthed on Little Cayman In the May 31 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the following front page story read: “A human skeleton which doctors believe to be the remains of a male human between the ages of 17 and 20 years old was unearthed last Friday by workmen at Mary’s Bay in Little Cayman. “The men were digging to make a foundation for a cesspool for the home of Mr. [Burgess] Meredith, an American [actor], when they found the bones. The doctor was summoned and later the police were called. “Twenty years ago, a 17-year-old Cayman Brac youngster was reported missing after going on a fishing trip to Little Cayman. Despite a very extensive search, only his catboat was found. “Parts of the skeleton have been reburied but the police have kept the neces- sary sections to aid them in their investigations.” In the weekly “Cayman Brac Calling” section of the paper, written by Lilian Ritch, the fol- lowing appeared: “Arbour Day, Mother Nature gave her blessing to the tree planting with two early morning showers, one at daylight and the other at 9 a.m. just after the trees were put in the ground. Twenty-three fruit and two poui were distributed throughout the island. The poui were planted at Buccaneer’s Inn and the Secondary Modern School. Among the schools there were two jackfruit and one otaheiti each. Mrs. Reba Foster, wife of the District Commissioner and Mrs. Audrey Ryan planted one of each in the Govern- ment Square, Stake Bay. “I joined in the simple ceremony at the Creek School. The head teacher began with a quote from the American People’s En- cyclopaedia giving the or- igin of Arbour Day. “A recording of ‘We Thank Thee’ by Jim Reeves lifted our thoughts appropriately. “Followed by a brief re- minder on principal parts and growth of a tree and instructions for planting. It was rewarding to see every child present as- sisting and care being taken to plant the seed- lings scientifically. Similar ceremonies were held in all the schools. “Planters were: at the Secondary Modern, the staff; at West End, Cleo Scott, Edward Foster, Eveleen Myrie, Lana Tib- betts, Regal Jackson, and Larry and Deryck Tib- betts; at Spot Bay by Dave Christian and Don- nell Dixon, supervised by Mr. C. McGowan and, the school grounds being small, the third tree was set in Mrs. Irvin Ritch’s premises supervised by Miss. Z. Chisholm.” Beach cleanup for Little Cayman Volunteers are being sought to help clean up Little Cayman’s beaches. The Cayman Distribu- tors Group, based out of Grand Cayman, is working with the Central Caribbean Marine Institute to sponsor the islandwide beach cleanup in support of World Oceans Day 2017. Those who want to take part in the cleanup can sign up at the weekly ka- raoke night at the Little Cayman Beach Resort be- tween 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday, June 2. Afterward, a Cayman Distributors Group-spon- sored party will be held at the Hungry Iguana, fea- turing DJ Lawrence, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Organizers said three beaches would be chosen to be cleaned and those would be determined at the sign-up event. The cleanup of the beaches begins the next day, Saturday, June 3, at 3 p.m. and will continue until 5 p.m. A Bud Light Social will be held afterward at Point of Sand, until 7 p.m. A group picture of the cleanup volunteers will be taken at Point of Sand at 6 p.m. “If you cannot attend the beach cleanup during this specific time due to work or prior commit- ments, but still wish to help do your part, please feel free to clean any beach of your choosing, snap a pic- ture of you and your trash, and send it to Katie Correia at CCMI,” organizers said in a statement. Anyone who cannot attend the sign-up party but wishes to attend the cleanup can also contact Ms. Correia, CCMI’s science program coordinator, at kcorreia@reefresearch.org. The Layman E. Scott steel pan band: Back row, from left, Matthew Giscombe, Twayne Foster Jr., Jenna Grant, Kasandra Scott-Salazar, Catrise Connor, Di’Jhaney Valentine, Keira Bodden, Regina Scott and Chloe Scott; front row, from left, Eugenio Myles, Jamar McCoy, Shajaidy Robinson, John Gayle, Emmanuel Wright and Kimberly Scott. Scores of volunteers turned out for a beach cleanup on Little Cayman in February. Another cleanup of three beaches will take place Saturday, June 3, on the island.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 * *Conditions apply. Bonus offer ends July 31, 2017. Subject to credit approval. Offers subject to change without notice. Customers earn 7,000 AAdvantage® miles as follows: you earn a welcome bonus of 3,000 AAdvantage® miles on your first purchase of any amount. 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For complete details about the AAdvantage® program, visit www.aa.com/aadvantage. Scotiabank issues the Scotiabank / AAd- vantage® card. American Airlines®, AAdvantage® and Million Miler are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence. ®MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. #SayYesToMore Apply today and get a bonus of up to 7,000 AAdvantage® miles.* Visit your nearest branch or go to ky.scotiabank.com/sayyes Say yes to more travel WITH A BONUS UP TO AAdvantage® miles* 7,000 Scotiabank / AAdvantage® MasterCard® Earn American Airlines AAdvantage® miles on every purchase. Redeem them on flights, hotels, cruises, and more. Details at aa.com. EN H A N C E D C H I P S E C U R IT Y Located off Shamrock Road, only a few lots remain in this new subdivision. • Special Offer: Developer Pays Stamp Duty • 10,000 sft lots • Very high land 15+ feet above sea level • Great location CI$65,000 for first time Caymanian buyers Call or Whatsapp Josephine for full plans & details. 926-6102 CI$70,000 House Lots For Sale 100% Financing from select banks - ends July 2017 since he was attacked by Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin more than any other candidate on the campaign trail. He had previously worked for Mr. McLaughlin as his political assistant before being fired in March 2015. “I told the voters I would work with anyone in gov- ernment, and I meant that” Mr. Bryan said. Progressives officials said the govern- ment was considering Mr. Bryan’s offer. A potential fifth indepen- dent member, Bodden Town West’s Chris Saunders, was being considered to join the “national unity” coalition, but no decision had been reached either way by press time Tuesday. Mr. Saunders attended Mr. Seymour’s meeting in Bodden Town Monday night and said he supported his friend’s decision to take the minister’s seat. Cayman Democratic Party leader McKeeva Bush has joined the coalition but will not get a vote in the Legis- lative Assembly after taking up the House Speaker’s po- sition. Fellow CDP members Bernie Bush and Capt. Eu- gene Ebanks will sit on the government benches. Numbers game The arrangement will leave the Progressives with seven votes in the ruling government, the CDP with two and the independent members with three – four if Mr. Bryan joins and five if Mr. Saunders joins. That means the majority vote on the government side will likely still be controlled by the Progressives, but the government could be put in a tight spot if whatever pro- posal it makes does not find support from independent and CDP members. One issue government will probably have to deal with immediately after being formed is the thorny Legal Practitioners Bill, which failed in the 11th hour of the previous gov- ernment’s term. All lawmakers agreed at the end of the last term that a revamped version of that legislation would have to be brought back almost imme- diately in the first term of the next government. That means Progressives law- makers must receive the votes of both CDP members and at least one independent to approve the legislation. Also being discussed Tuesday were the potential Cabinet positions in the co- alition government. However, Cabinet mem- bers are all bound by col- lective responsibility on any issue that comes be- fore parliament, so the votes might get easier with an extra independent or CDP member added to the governing body. During the first itera- tion of the Progressives- CDP combination proposal, which abruptly failed late last week when Speaker Bush walked away from the deal, legislators had discussed leaving Premier Alden McLaughlin with the Home Affairs Min- istry and Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell with the Tourism Ministry. Other ministers in the government at that stage were proposed as Ms. Rivers, George Town East MLA Roy McTaggart, George Town North MLA Joey Hew, Cayman Brac East MLA Juliana O’Connor- Connolly and West Bay North MLA Bernie Bush. However, Mr. McLaughlin said Monday that the coalition had been left without any represen- tation in Bodden Town and promised Mr. Sey- mour a ministerial posi- tion if he came over to the government side. It was also understood that Mr. Saunders was seeking a ministerial post in exchange for leaving the opposition benches. Independents react The remaining indepen- dents, including North Side’s Ezzard Miller, East End’s Arden McLean, Newlands representative Alva Suckoo and Savannah representa- tive Anthony Eden, are ex- pected to sit on the opposi- tion benches. Mr. Saunders and Mr. Bryan would also sit there if agreement with gov- ernment on their respective positions cannot be reached. It was anticipated that Mr. McLean would be named as opposition leader. The group issued a state- ment late Monday indicating that it had earnestly tried to form a government – both with Mr. Bush’s CDP and members of Mr. McLaughlin’s Progressives. The statement blasted Mr. Bush for taking what the in- dependent members termed a “lesser deal” offered by the Progressives and ques- tioning Mr. Bush’s motives for doing so. The independent group claimed it had offered the West Bay MLA the Speaker’s position and deputy leader’s position in various iterations of a coalition government, as well as a ministerial position for his fellow MLA Bernie Bush. The Progressives, they said, had done no such thing. “The independent mem- bers wish to assure the public that we made every best effort to form a govern- ment that reflected the will of the people,” the statement read. “It is clear now that nei- ther the PPM nor the CDP ne- gotiated in good faith.” During comments ear- lier in the week, both McK- eeva Bush and Mr. Harris had blamed the independents’ in- action during negotiations for the failure of a CDP-in- dependents coalition govern- ment to take off. The deal had been agreed late Friday night, but fell apart the next day. “I’m not here for ven- dettas, I’m an inclusive person trying to get the best for all and sundry,” Mr. Bush said in a statement to the Cayman Compass on Sunday. “It’s rotten for two [members], who come from the smallest districts and won with 20 votes, [to] want to rule our people and [to be] cursing out the duly elected newcomers. “I’d rather not be a part of it.” Mr. Harris, when asked about his surprise appear- ance in the coalition govern- ment Monday, said he be- lieved the independents had missed two earlier chances to form a government and that in his view, they would not get a third chance. Independent legislators look to join new ‘unity’ government CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dwayne ‘John John’ Seymour and campaign member Judyann Frederick were polling supporters at the Bodden Town Civic Centre Monday night. – PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVY Newly elected independent legislator Chris Saunders, far left, laughs with, from left, former UDP government ministers Mark Scotland, Cline Glidden and Rolston Anglin, at Dwayne Seymour’s public meeting in Bodden Town Monday night.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 • CAYMAN COMPASS Thinking of You on Your Birthday In Memory of Our Mother Esther G. Balderamos 31 May 1932- 24 June 2012 SA DLY MISSED BY YOUR CHILDREN, STEPHANIE, ANNIE ROSE, DEVON, DAWN, BOB, MARGARET, KEVIN, DAUGHTER IN-LAW, SON IN-LAWS, GRAND CHILDREN AND GREAT GRAND CHILDREN. REMEMBERING OUR MOTHER who departed us fi ve sad years ago So many happy memories, Mum, Come ooding back today, Of birthday celebrations Before you went away. Those wonderful occasions Never changed throughout the years, But now your smile is missing Replaced with birthday tears. You may not be here with us But the day means just as much, An I can feel your presence And the comfort of your touch. I’ll celebrate your birthday, Mum, The way I always do, For the precious love between us And all I owe to you. Mum 31 May 1932- 24 June 201231 May 1932- 24 June 201231 May 1932- 24 June 201231 May 1932- 24 June 201231 May 1932- 24 June 2012 France, and finally at home in Panama, where he died on Monday at age 83. The links to drug traf- ficking, which ultimately led to Noriega’s downfall, were exposed in part because of testimony from Leigh Ritch, who gave evidence before a U.S. Senate terrorism and nar- cotics subcommittee in 1988. Ritch, described in news reports as a “mari- juana kingpin” who ran a multimillion-dollar smug- gling operation from Grand Cayman until he was con- victed of drug trafficking in 1986, helped U.S. officials unravel Noriega’s links to the drugs trade. In an Associated Press news report from Feb- ruary 1988, Ritch is quoted as having told the subcom- mittee that his drug cartel began laundering money through Panama after bank regulations tightened up in the Cayman Islands in the early 1980s. He testified that his or- ganization had paid off Noriega to arrange security for the laundering of drug profits through Panama- nian banks. According to the news report, Ritch also tes- tified that Noriega had used the drug ring’s Learjet to fly to the United States and else- where and made his own aircraft available for flights to Colombia to set up mar- ijuana deals. Noriega was born poor in Panama City on Feb. 11, 1934, and was raised by foster parents. He joined Panama’s De- fense Forces in 1962 and steadily advanced through the ranks, mainly through loyalty to his mentor, Gen. Omar Torrijos, who became Panama’s de facto leader after a 1968 coup. As Torrijos’s intelligence chief, Noriega monitored po- litical opponents and devel- oped close ties with U.S. in- telligence agencies guarding against possible threats to the canal. Two years after Torrijos died in a mysterious plane crash in 1981, Noriega became the head of the armed forces and Panama’s de facto ruler. Noriega ruled with an iron fist, ordering the deaths of those who opposed him and maintaining a murky, close and conflictive relation- ship with the United States. At the apex of his power he wielded great influence outside the country as well thanks to long-standing rela- tionships with spy agencies around the world, said R.M. Koster, an American novelist and biographer of Noriega. Noriega was consid- ered a valued CIA asset and was paid millions of dol- lars for assistance to the U.S. throughout Latin America, in- cluding acting as a liaison to Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Noriega also helped the U.S. seize drug loads at sea and track money laundering in Panama’s banks, and re- ported on guerrilla and ter- rorist activities. But Washington ulti- mately soured on him, es- pecially after a top political opponent was killed in 1985 and Noriega appeared to join forces with Latin American drug traffickers. Foes in the Panamanian military tried several coups but failed, and their leaders were summarily executed by firing squad. member of CITA and will provide a voice for drivers in these debates. He believes meters are outdated, and is promoting the concept of a smartphone app, which drivers and cab users can download. He said there should be a fare based on distance per mile that could be easily monitored on an app. He has set up a Facebook page, Cayman Taxi App – Cabbie – It’s a Breeze, and a petition to promote the concept. An app has already been developed and will be tested by drivers from each of the three firms over the coming months. Mr. Hadome acknowl- edged there had been com- plaints about overcharging in some quarters, but said an app would make the prices clear and give customers the power to hold cab- bies accountable. “Meters are expensive and outdated technology. Ev- eryone has a smartphone. This is something that has proven successful else- where,” he said. Loxley Gould, owner of Ace Cayman Nice Taxi & Tour Service, said the app would make everything clear for drivers and cus- tomers. He said the associ- ation would help taxi firms work together, and encour- aged the Public Transport Board to use its expertise as it considers the future of the industry. “I hear a lot of things going on and we are waiting to see what is going to happen. We are staying current in the mean- time,” he said. Charlie Yates, operations manager of Charlie’s Super Cabs, said the new organiza- tion would work with CITA to promote the app. “Once we have satisfied CITA, which is the bulk of our customers, that what we are doing is right and they accept it and like the way it is done, everyone else will follow and join us. It is going to work for everybody. If the restaurants and the bars are happy with the service they are getting, everybody’s happy,” Mr. Yates said. During the December CITA meeting, several res- taurant and tourist attrac- tion managers raised con- cerns about fares, which they said vary wildly depending on who is driving the cab. Matthew Bishop, CEO of Island Companies and Cayman Distributors and one of the directors of the association, said the group wants taxi drivers to be able to earn a good living and be ambassadors for the in- dustry. But, he said, there needs to be clarity and con- sistency with prices. “Whether it is the reality or not, people are certainly feeling ripped off,” he said. “There have been comments on TripAdvisor and it affects the reputation of the desti- nation.” Mr. Hadome said an app could be promoted by CITA and would give restau- rant and hotel owners easy access to information about what the fares should be. Whether or not the Public Transport Board buys into the ide, he believes it is im- portant that drivers have a seat at the table when it comes to deciding the future of the industry. “Deloitte is looking at the fare system and we would like the drivers to be part of that conversation because they are the people it affects the most,” he added. He said the new associa- tion has buy-in from drivers from all the major firms. He has been advised to wait until the Non-Profit Organi- zations Bill comes into force before officially registering the organization. Employer pays wages due, charge withdrawn Minimum wage came into effect on March 1, 2016 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An employer accused of paying a basic wage below the prescribed minimum had the charge dismissed in Summary Court on Tuesday. Power Supply Bar and Lounge Ltd. had been charged with failing to pay employees the minimum wage as prescribed by the Labour (National Minimum Basic Wage) Order, 2016. The period of offending was March 1 to Aug. 31, 2016. The charge did not specify how many em- ployees were affected or how much money was al- legedly due them. Cayman’s minimum wage came into effect on March 1, 2016. The matter first came to court on May 16 this year, when Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats was told that the Crown was reviewing the case. On Tuesday, Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin an- nounced that restitution of monies owed had been promptly made. “There is no public interest in pro- ceeding with this matter,” she said, and with- drew the charge. The magistrate thanked the officers of the Depart- ment of Labour and Pen- sions for their work. “It seems everything has been rectified,” he concluded and dismissed the charge. The employer was rep- resented by director Lester Timothy. In general, the basic rate of pay in Cayman is $6 per hour. Where workers receive gratuities as part of their job, the min- imum is $4.50 per hour. Noriega, onetime ally of U.S., spent his final decades in jail Panamanian military strongman Gen. Manuel Noriega raises his fists to acknowledge the crowd’s cheers during a Dignity Battalion rally in Panama City in 1988. - PHOTO: AP Taxi drivers join forces to give industry a voice CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The charge did not specify how many employees were affected or how much money was allegedly due them. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Business CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2017 US consumer spending, incomes grow Americans increased their spending in April at the fastest pace in four months, bolstered by a solid gain in incomes. The strong results underscored expectations that the economy is poised to rebound after a lackluster start to the year. BA debacle puts spotlight on airlines’ old IT systems, cuts LONDON (AP) – The cata- strophic IT failure at British Airways that ruined travel plans for 75,000 people has raised questions about some older airlines’ focus on costs to the detriment of investment in new computer systems. As British Airways re- sumed full service Tuesday, shares in its parent company, International Airlines Group, dropped 3 percent as investors appeared to worry that the company’s quality of service may have been undermined by recent efforts to save money. Disaster struck on Sat- urday, when the compa- ny’s computer systems went down and there was no func- tioning back-up. The airline canceled all flights and only managed to resume full ser- vice on Tuesday. “Although cost cutting has been good for the share price in the last year, it will come back to bite IAG if it stops them from doing what they are supposed to do: Fly pas- sengers to their destinations,” said Kathleen Brooks, the re- search director at City Index. IAG has been battling tough competition, even as it has faced pressure on its earnings from a weaker pound following Britain’s de- cision to leave the European Union. The company issued a profit warning following the Brexit vote nearly a year ago. Cost pressures aggravated an already complicated situ- ation. Renewing IT systems is complex, time-consuming and expensive – a factor that prompts many companies to put it off as long as possible, said Loizos Heracleous, a professor of strategy at War- wick Business School. The problem with IT sys- tems is recurring across the industry, particularly among established airlines. In Au- gust, Delta Air lines canceled hundreds of flights when a power outage likewise knocked out its computer systems worldwide. Airlines face challenges with their IT systems also due to linkages across their systems. There’s further de- mand on the system when companies consolidate – as has been the case among air- lines – since “IT issues get heightened and any vulnera- bilities are exposed.” Such troubles give an ad- vantage to newer airlines such as Ryanair, a cost-cut- ting BA rival that focuses on short haul budget flights. “The ability to set up an airline from scratch by-passes a lot of the legacy issues, be- cause you can go for state-of- the-art systems,” Heracleous said. “Newer airlines can also invest in IT systems that are more easily upgradeable and scaleable. An airline such as Ryanair, that is also finan- cially successful, has more leeway to divert needed re- sources towards upgrading its IT systems.” Capitalizing on BA’s trou- bles, Ryanair said it had seen “strong bookings” over the weekend. Its Twitter account rubbed salt into the wound with tweets that poked fun and added the hashtag “ShouldHaveFlownRyanair.” The company’s chief mar- keting officer, Kenny Jacobs, admitted on the BBC “we had a bit of fun on social media.” “We don’t take social media seriously but we do take IT very seriously and that is why we’ve never had an outage,” he told the BBC. Ryanair posted a 6 per- cent increase in annual profits Tuesday to 1.3 billion euros (US$1.4 billion) despite “difficult trading conditions,” caused by terror attacks in European cities and a sharp decline in the British pound. BA, meanwhile, is counting up the cost of an IT debacle that some have esti- mated could run into the tens of millions. There are also all those news clips of passen- gers swearing they will never fly the airline again. “The whole sorry episode has undeniably put a dent in BA’s reputation for delivering a premium service,” said George Salmon, equity ana- lyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. JTC acquires Merrill Lynch trust services MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Independent fund, fidu- ciary and corporate service provider JTC, which has had a presence in Cayman since 2013, has confirmed the ac- quisition of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management’s Inter- national Trust and Wealth Structuring business. The business provides the administration of trust services for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management’s inter- national advisory clients. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. Nigel Le Quesne, JTC’s chairman and CEO, said in ad- dition to “materially growing our private client business, this deal reinforces our long- standing commitment to the Americas region and increases the strength and depth of our administration capabilities in Europe and beyond.” At the same time, Merrill Lynch and JTC have agreed on a strategic relationship in which JTC will offer a range of trust administration ser- vices to new and existing in- ternational advisory clients. Merrill Lynch will retain its international wealth man- agement business, including its brokerage accounts, trust assets and international fi- nancial advisers. “I am pleased that the ex- isting relationship between JTC and Merrill Lynch will be strengthened further, both through interaction with their extensive financial ad- viser network and JTC’s in- clusion on their panel of rec- ommended partners for new business,” Mr. Le Quesne said. JTC has a 30-year track record in supporting high and ultra-high net worth cli- ents, he noted. “We look for- ward to demonstrating to in- coming clients that JTC is a fantastic fit for their admin- istration and wealth struc- turing needs and for our new colleagues, we will provide an innovative, dynamic and client-focused environment in which to work and grow.” With the addition of ap- proximately 70 Merrill Lynch employees, the deal will in- crease JTC’s number of em- ployees to almost 600 in the key financial centers of the Cayman Islands, Geneva, London, Miami and Singa- pore. It will also establish JTC in the Isle of Man, in- creasing its presence to 20 global jurisdictions in total, following its recent acquisi- tion of New Amsterdam Citi- trust in the Netherlands. Don Plaus, head of Mer- rill Lynch’s Private Banking & Investment Group, Interna- tional and Institutional, said, “We are pleased to be able to offer our clients access to this award-winning provider of wealth structuring and trust services. We believe our clients will benefit from their deep experience in trust ad- ministration and structures in our key markets.” Amazon joins the $1,000 club NEW YORK (AP) – Amazon, the internet goliath that rev- olutionized the way much of the world shops for books, toilet paper and TVs, hit a new milestone Tuesday. Its stock surpassed the $1,000 mark for the first time. That price put Ama- zon’s market value at about $478 billion, double that of the world’s biggest tradi- tional retailer, Wal-Mart, and more than 15 times the size of Target. Not only has Amazon changed the retail land- scape since it became a public company 20 years ago, it’s now part of a small cadre of high-flying stocks belonging to companies that have defied Wall Street and shunned stock splits. Those splits make the stock more affordable and generate brokerage fees. But companies like Amazon have chosen to reward its long-term investors. The last time Amazon has split its stock was nearly 18 years ago, ac- cording to financial re- search firm FactSet. Another company with a similar philosophy is Al- phabet Inc., the parent com- pany of Google. Amazon just beat Al- phabet to the $1,000 level, with its Class A shares just $2 short of $1,000 Tuesday. Four other U.S.-listed companies have shares trading at similar levels: online travel booking com- pany Priceline Group Inc., homebuilder NVR Inc., pork producer and ocean trans- portation company Sea- board Corp. and the apostle of long-term investing, Warren Buffett, with his holding company Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Since launching a website to sell mostly books in 1995, Amazon has transfigured re- tail, sent revenue numbers to stratospheric heights, and is among the biggest rea- sons longtime powerhouses like Macy’s, Borders book- stores and even RadioShack have suffered. Those companies are closing locations and Am- azon is filling the void, sometimes literally. Last week in a location once occupied by Borders, which went out of business in 2011, Amazon opened its first store in New York City. Shares in the International Airlines Group dropped about 3 percent in the first day of trading after a weekend that saw hundreds of flights canceled after a power surge led to an IT meltdown. British Airways is counting up the cost of an IT debacle that some have estimated could run into the tens of millions. - PHOTO: AP Nigel Le Quesne, JTC’s chairman and CEOA customer uses his smartphone to make a payment at an Amazon Books store in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Since launching a website to sell mostly books in 1995, Amazon has transfigured the retail business. - PHOTO: APNext >